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Top German ministry official resigns after accusations of favoritism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A top official at the German economy and climate ministry resigned Wednesday following accusations that he was involved in choosing his best man to head the federally owned German Energy Agency and signed off on financial support for a project in which his sister was involvedPatrick Graichen was one of Economy Minister Robert Habeck’s closest aides and had been in charge of developing and implementing the government’s energy policies with the goal of achieving net zero emissions in Germany in 2045.Graichen had been under pressure for weeks after media revealed his involvement in the job selection, but last week Habeck still said Graichen could keep his job.On Wednesday, however, Habeck told reporters in Berlin that Graichen had also violated ministry compliance violations when he signed off on the ministry’s planned financial support for a project of the Berlin branch of the BUND environmental group, on whose board Graichen’s sister sat.“Against this backgr...

Canada, South Korea agree to work together on clean-energy supply chains

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — Canada and South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding on supply chains for critical minerals and the transition to clean energy.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached the agreement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during an official visit to Seoul today, where they also announced a new youth mobility arrangement.The Prime Minister’s Office says both countries can play a “leading role” as “reliable partners” when it comes to the supply chain for electric vehicles and the critical minerals needed to make their batteries.The announcement comes as Canada’s federal government is in a dispute with automaker Stellantis, which has halted construction on an electric-vehicle battery plan in Windsor, Ont., in partnership with South Korean battery-maker, LG Energy Solution.Both countries have released Indo-Pacific strategies within the past year, which provide road maps for strengthening military and economic rel...

Dozens of Serbia schools receive bomb threats amid concerns following mass shootings in early May

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Dozens of Serbian schools on Wednesday received bomb threats, the education ministry said, amid security concerns following two mass shootings early this month, including one in an elementary school. The education ministry said 78 elementary schools and 37 high schools in Belgrade received warnings by email early on Wednesday that explosive devices had allegedly been planted. Classes were postponed and students evacuated as police checked the buildings. There have been no reports that bombs were found in any of the schools, and police are yet to issue their report. Similar multiple threats have been sent to school addresses in the past, in Serbia and other countries in the region, and have proven false each time. However, the threats could further heighten security fears after the May 3 and May 4 shootings that left 10 people dead and 21 injured. Authorities already have deployed police in schools and launched a gun crackdown. The first shooting happened at a...

Katie Taylor worries loss of Olympic boxing would be ‘huge blow’ to the sport

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Katie Taylor had Olympic dreams long before she became one of the faces of women’s professional boxing.The Irish fighter won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games, setting her on course for a hugely successful pro career.She’s worried that future generations won’t get the same chance because of a long-running dispute between Olympic officials and the International Boxing Association. The International Olympic Committee has declined to confirm boxing’s place in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.“It will be a huge blow to boxing overall, even professional boxing,” Taylor told The Associated Press ahead of her fight against Chantelle Cameron in Dublin on Saturday. “The biggest incentive for amateur boxers is the Olympics. If they (don’t) have that, I think it might put a lot of people off the sport. It could be a big blow for the sport as a whole really.”The impact on women’s boxing could be particularly damaging considering it only made its Olympic debut...

East German workers strike, claiming they are paid less than counterparts in the west

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Employees at a beverage company in eastern Germany that produces the country’s popular Vita Cola among other drinks, went on strike because more than 30 years after the country’s reunification their salaries are still significantly lower than that of employees working for their parent company in western Germany.Seventy workers at Waldquell in Schmalkalden in Thuringia walked out of their jobs Tuesday bringing the production of beverages such as mineral waters, lemonades, and Vita Cola, which tastes similar to Coca-Cola, to a halt for several hours, German news agency dpa reported.A trade union representative said that employees at the Thuringia company currently make 195 euros ($211) per month less than their colleagues at the parent company, Hassia, in Hesse state, and also have to work two more hours per week, according to dpa.In addition, an inflation compensation bonus that was offered to the work force at Waldquell was to be just under 1,000 euros less...

Russia orders arrest of prominent producer, director who criticized Ukraine war

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

A Moscow court has ordered the arrest of prominent film producer Alexander Rodnyansky and theater director Ivan Vyrypaev for “spreading false information” about the Russian army. The initial court hearings against Rodnyansky and Vyrypaev were held on 27 April, but not reported by the court until Wednesday.According to the court’s press service, Rodnyansky and Vyrypaev, who are outside Russia, will be placed in custody once Russian authorities manage to detain them or to get them extradited. Russia’s Interior Ministry additionally put Vyrypaev on the federal wanted list.Kyiv-born Rodnyansky has been among the most influential figures in Russian cinema in recent decades. He left Russia after the start of the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has repeatedly spoken openly against the war. In October 2022, Russia’s Justice Ministry declared Rodnyansky a “foreign agent.”Popular playwright, director and actor Vyrypaev has been living and working in Warsaw for se...

Five go on trial in Germany over far-right plot to kidnap health minister, topple government

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Five people go on trial in Germany on Wednesday accused of planning a far-right coup and plotting to kidnap the country’s health minister.The four men, aged 44 to 56, and a 75-year-old woman are accused of founding or being members of a terrorist organization and treason. Federal prosecutors say the group is linked to the Reich Citizens scene that rejects the legitimacy of Germany’s postwar constitution and has similarities to the Sovereign Citizens and QAnon movements in the United States.Prosecutors say they intended to create “conditions similar to civil war” by using explosives to cause nationwide blackouts, then kidnapping Health Minister Karl Lauterbach — a prominent advocate of strict coronavirus measures.There were no indications the group, which called itself United Patriots, was close to launching a coup. But prosecutors said the group’s procurement of weapons and money showed they were “dangerous criminals who wanted to implement their plans.”The...

European nations zoom in on establishing system to pinpoint how much damage Russia caused in Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Leaders from across Europe were wrapping a two-day summit on Wednesday, putting the final touches on a system to establish the damage Russia is causing during the war in Ukraine, in the hopes it can be forced to compensate victims and help rebuild the nation once the conflict is over. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was the dominant topic during the meeting in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík, where delegations from the Council of Europe discussed how the continent’s preeminent human rights organization can support Kyiv.The most tangible outcome of the meeting — the first summit the Council of Europe has held in nearly two decades — is the creation of the register of damages. Expected to be housed in The Hague, the register will allow victims of the war to report the harm they have suffered.“When we think in terms of reconstruction it’s an enormously important judicial element to have this register of damages to give justice to the victims,” said European U...

Albany job fair being held in June

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany job fair will be held at the Holiday Inn Express Conference Center located at 400 Loudon Road on Route 9 in Latham on Wednesday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recruiters from over 90 organizations will be in attendance. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Many regional and local companies will be offering same-day or next-day hiring. Interested eventgoers may apply online to all recruiters, or can send their resumes to [email protected]. Some of the following organizations in attendance include but are not limited to:SYSCOAMAZONPlug PowerOwens CorningFrito-LayLivingResourcesNYS OGSRPIMaximusNY LifeNYS Dept of CorrectionsSpectrumImperial PoolsOrthoNYSunmarkWadham’sFabconAFLACYankee TrailsOcean State Job LotCurtis LumberARC RensselaerSunmarkSaratoga CasinoAlbany BroadcastingNYS TroopersAlbany City CSDFuscoH&R BlockFirestoneLocal 669NY CreatesPrice ChopperPrimarkAMCSPHPRed Shift

Unbeatable bond off the field, untouchable stuff on; Colonie softball pitching duo has shined

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:17:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- At the Suburban Council softball poker table, Colonie currently holds the best hand, with a pair of aces that have an undeniably strong bond. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The pitching duo of junior Lauren Cosselman and sophomore Adrianna Laraway has guided the Raiders to the top seed in the Sec. II, Class AA sectional bracket. The two have developed the ultimate support system, which has been an integral component to their success."It's amazing to have my best friend with me, especially at one of the most important positions on the field, (and) especially in big games like sectional time," said Laraway. "To have my best friend by my side on the field and off the field, 'cause we do a lot of stuff off the field together too - a lot more than even the cameras, or our fans come to see - it's great.""It means a lot to have somebody so close to me, always picking me up when I'm down," added Cosselman....